Body Positivity and Social Media: How Online Platforms Affect Our Body Image
What impact can social media have on our relationship with our body? A negative as well as a positive one!
Long legs, defined arms, perfect curves, pure skin - what in the past we mainly saw when walking past huge advertising posters or flicking through a glossy magazine, we now get confronted with every day on social media. Body ideals still shape our society. What does it do to us when we have these ideals in front of our eyes every day?
The pursuit of supposed perfection
The big problem with body ideals is this: It suggests to us that there is a perfect body and that ours has to look the same. On social media, we constantly see people who have "the perfect body". Many then compare their body with that of others - albeit often unintentionally or rather unconsciously - and are then left feeling insecure.
But what is being ignored is this: Every body is different. Some people are naturally tall and slim, others have curves, a fuller body, are short or muscular. The problem with our society is that we still cling to the idea that there is right and wrong and only one version of beautiful.
Our highest priority should always be to feel good about our body. It is totally natural to wish that your body was fitter or more toned and to want to do something for it. The crucial question is what is the reason behind it. It should never come from a lack of self-acceptance or because it is suggested to us from the outside that we need to change.
Social media can unfortunately have a big negative impact on this. Many people don't realise how many of the photos we see on social media are retouched. Most people have no idea that even stars and starlets are not immune to imperfections.
"To love your body is to stop believing that it has to look a certain way."
However - and this is the good news! - social media can also have the opposite effect. Fortunately, a lot has changed in recent years. There are more and more personalities and influencers who are tearing down idealised and unrealistic body images. They show their followers what is possible with the help of posing, light and retouching - and prove that in real life, not everything always looks as perfect as on Instagram. A breath of fresh air in an online world dominated by apparent perfection and highlight reels. They are the answer to the longing of many for more genuineness and authenticity. Those who follow them realise: it's okay to be the way you are.
At the end of the day, that is what really matters. Namely, feeling good about ourselves and realising that we are good the way we are. Loving your body means to stop believing that it has to look a certain way. The content we consume on social networks and the type of message it conveys us is ultimately up to us. Because yes, there is also a positive effect that social media can have on our body image.
